ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ

'Voluntary associations of various sorts have a long history extending back to Archaic Greece. At the time a number of groups flourished inside the city-states. These included groups that defined themselves in cult terms and shared common sacrifices and meals, groups that were organized on the basis of descent groups or φύλαι (tribes), as well as groups based on loyalties, occupation or shared activities. One of the fourth century BC laws of Solon lists a number of social groups and organizations and it legislates that their own internal regulations are considered to be binding unless they contradict the city’s written laws. Groups listed include members of village communities, phratries, hero-cults, dinning clubs, cult associations, “pirates”, and merchants.

During the classical period political associations (εταιρείαι) operated in Athens. These were mostly used for securing certain results at elections and in the law courts and were not regarded as harmful or illegal. In the fifth century BC there also seems to have been an increasing number of associations with a predominantly social and religious focus as well as the formation of various mining and trading companies. During the fourth century BC there was considerable development of such companies, including the increased organization of groups of foreign merchants. “What all such groups tend to have in common is a cult basis, a shared meal (at least annually, often more frequently), an elected organizing official or two, a shrine or cult premises, often with dining room and sometimes with a plot of land that could be leased out to provide income, and some limited concern for the well-being of members.

From the Hellenistic period there is a marked increase in the epigraphical evidence for social and religious associations throughout the Greek-speaking world, due in part to the increasing use of this medium for the dissemination of decrees. Yet it is clear that the voluntary associations began to grow in importance. Benefactors and patrons became an important source of funds at this time. The Hellenistic period also witnessed the creation of associations focusing on mobile groups, such as traders and shipowners. These united traders were persons from one area who regularly did business elsewhere. In the urban areas there were many associations based on specialized workers such as clothes manufacturers, metalworkers, food retailers, barbers.

Most of the associations attested in Macedonia during the early Empire seem to be founded as religious associations. The following deities are attested in the inscriptions: Zeus Hypsistos, Theos Hypsistos; Dionysos (including once as Zeus Dionysos); Liber and Libera, Sylvanus, Herakles, Hero God, Sarapis, Isis (in both occasions she is named with Sarapis), Anubis (once as Hermes-Anubis), Asklepios (as indicated by Asklepiastoi), Aphrodite, Diana, Nemesis, Cupid, Souregethes, Gods of Samothrace, the Emperor, and Cybele and Attis. Among the professional associations we have evidence of Dionysiac artists, Roman veterans, hunters, gladiators and athletes, purple-dyers and yoke-makers at Thessaloniki, donkey-drivers at Beroea, coppersmiths at Amphipolis, silversmiths at Kalambaki, and merchants at Acanthos.'

Track: Bells
Artist: Jeff Mills, Montpellier Philharmonic Orchestra
Album: Blue Potential (Live With Montpellier Philharmonic Orchestra)
Label: Tresor
Date: DVD recorded live on July 2nd 2005 at the Pont Du Gard, part of the 50 km long Roman aqueduct of Nîmes in France

Photograph: Inscribed base of a statue of Thessaloniki, of the 2nd c. BC, and part of a group of statues of the family of Alexander the Great. The inscription reads: THESSALONIKI QUEEN OF PHILIP. The statue was of Thessaloniki, daughter of Philip II of Macedon, half-sister of Alexander and wife of Cassander, founder of the city of Thessaloniki in 315 BC (named after his wife). The statues were erected by Philip V of Macedon in 187 BC at the Serapeion of Thessaloniki, were the base was discovered, which was situated to the south-west of the “sacred area” of Hellenistic Thessaloniki. Together with the inscribed base, a letter of Philip V dated 187 BC, in which he forbade the use of the funds of the Serapeion for purposes other than connected with the cult and laid down penalties for any contravention of this regulation. A Serapeion (Serapeum) was a temple or other religious institution dedicated to the syncretic Hellenistic-Egyptian god Serapis, who combined aspects of Osiris and Apis in a humanized form that was accepted by the Greeks of Egypt. There were several Serapeia across the Hellenistic world.